Rebirth Amongst the Flames
by misti4492
Summary: Ever since the battle of Camlann, Aithusa retreated away from the world and the scars it left on her since her hatching. Choosing to live her life in solitude to mourn the loss of her friend, the dragon never knew that Merlin would one day seek her out with a hand of friendship. Post-S5/Camlann
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Just a quick note up here. This story takes place post-Camlann from season 5, so spoilers ahoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

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Scales scraped against the craggy walls as the white dragon squirmed for what little comfort their cold, rough touch could provide. Still, nothing could ease the pain that went beyond the physical world. No matter how much she struggled or yearned, the hurt remained, hurt created by the overbearing shadow of destiny she strove hard to reject; the mere thought of prophecy caused anger to erupt as fiery as the furnace of her core. With a growl, Aithusa spat another torrent of flames against the already molten walls. She continued until her flames sputtered out of existence with a last huff of her breath. The fire's touch left behind another glass swirl across the rock's surface, similar to the path in front of her.

How long was it since the battle, when mere words forced her away from her friend; the words that left her to abandon the one she most cared for to the clutches of death? Aithusa grasped at her anger and held it close, not wanting the gloom to enclose her, suffocate her until she is nothing but a trembling ball. The last few weeks were years to her mind, years since she cried out for her friend, years since she felt the ripple that swept her body of a fulfilled prophecy, and years still that she stumbled into these large caverns, crawling until she could go no further. Her abused body curled in the cave walls, tail towards the dark abyss behind her and face out towards the entrance, ready to kill any who dared disturbed her grieving.

The first time she awakened in her new home, the realization of what happened settled in her mind and a rage like none she ever experienced before expanded into every corner of her soul that ate away her depression. For days, she roared and clawed at the walls around her, scoring to stone as though it was nothing more than parchment. When he claws were too torn and bloodied to continue, she released her flames, melting down the rough edges of the walls and ground in front of her until they were glossy. However, no matter how much she tried, nothing could alleviate the pain that grew too close to her heart.

How could she be the proud, mighty dragon spoken of in legends when she failed the one person that most mattered to her? Her bond with Morgana was something Aithusa could never have predicted. When she first reached out from the darkness, towards the warm voice and into the world, the dragon had not suspected she would enter a world full of hatred and fear. How could she even understand in those first few seconds of her birth that the first faces of her kin would be the only ones left? Had she realized the consequences, would she have allowed her curiosity to lead her to the darkest moment of her young life that ultimately formed a powerful bond with an equally powerful witch?

Yet it happened. It happened and nothing Aithusa could do could change it. At times in the cavern, regret shrouded her mind as she reminisced on the past, a regret that she then snuffed out in shame. So what if she could have avoided all this heartbreak, this agony, if she had not befriended the witch? The fact remained that the witch became someone she would give her life to protect. That was the promise she made, that was the promise she strove to keep, and that was the promise she broke.

The gloom bore down on her as her depressive thoughts once again took over her mind. She tried to shove them out, but their claws dug mercilessly into her soul, becoming a cruel reminder of her mistakes. She waged war on her emotions, grasping for the bliss forgetfulness would give her. All the while exhaustion seeped further into her bones, lethargy pulled at her eyelids. After a moment, she relented to her slumber with hopes of a dreamless sleep. Alas, her hopes were squashed as the nightmares took over the battle her heartache fought.

Her dreams led her down a twisted path shaped by her emotions and memories. A warm voice called for her only to gut her and rip her to pieces when she drew close. The soft coos of her friend coddled her in their kindness only for the sweet nothings to turn into whimpers and shrieks that crushed her into nothing. The nightmares consumed her and drew her further and further into the abyss of the darkness that took control of her much the same way it took Morgana. The world seemed to tremble and the earth shook with such a force she woke with whimpers stuck in her throat. She took a moment to catch her breath and calm her fluttering heart, not realizing that during her panic, someone stood watch over the spectacle.

The stranger stood by, silent, with one hand outstretched towards the dragon; it rested lightly against the grime-covered scales, too soft for Aithusa to notice initially. A cloak settled on his shoulders and a hood was pulled up and over his head, obscuring his face from view. With the cavern's limited light, even Aithusa draconic eyes could not discern anything distinguishable on the man. However, once she somewhat regained control of herself, she stiffened at the touch of the hand that rubbed across the scales of her neck.

With a snarl, Aithusa snapped her head around towards the intruder, her lips pulled back to display her impressive array of teeth. Though she was still young, Aithusa was more than enough to handle a puny human, whether or not said human was of magic in nature; her fangs could easily tear apart their fragile skin. Especially in these close quarters, she could have his skull crushed between her jaws in the seconds it would take for him to realize he was dead.

The stranger lifted his hand from her scales, with the other mimicking, and backed away with a gesture for peace to the dragon. Even with his stance, Aithusa kept her teeth bared, the click of her teeth warning him to step no further. From her throat, a growl reverberated as she tried and failed to form any semblance of language but still managing to give a voice to her irritation. Throughout the aggressive display, the stranger just stood still, patient to let the dragon release its ire before attempting to get closer to the creature.

Minutes passed, and still neither budged until Aithusa was forced to recognize the stranger was unfazed by her aggressive display. Her growls faded as she pressed her lips firmly together and glared at the intruder. Even when the immediate threat was gone, her body remained tense and ready in case the stranger got a little too comfortable around her. She took a small step back, her tail bumped against the walls as it swung to and fro; she cocked her head in curiosity and her eyes bore into the stranger's shadowed face; a flare of her nostrils caught a familiar earthy scent. The man dropped his hand to his side, after a moment of decision, reached for the hood of his cloak, and tugged it from his head.

Aithusa's eyes narrowed.

Even after the weeks changed him, she knew all too well who those kind, wise blue eyes belong. His hair hung in shaggy locks, long enough to cover his ears, giving him an almost bedraggled appearance. A small, trimmed beard accentuated his jaws, while he stood with confidence only those in power possessed. His face appeared to have aged decades since the last she had seen him; new wrinkles etched into his face gave evidence to the hardships thrust upon him in such short time. Those eyes, once filled with cheer, held only determination with an undertone of grief. Whether that grief was for her or the man who passed away along with her friend, Aithusa couldn't care less.

Instead, she felt conflicted. Before her stood the man who held such a large influence over much of her life. Her first moments were those man's joy-filled eyes welcoming her to the world. He watched her make her first steps and her first flight to the sky. He was the reason she had come into the world, his voice was what coaxed her from her egg. Then she never saw him again, left to explore the world in her naivety. He left her on her own; to approach and help humans with thoughts of the kind man who first greeted her, to be caught by humans and chained into a pit for no other reason but to torment another. and to be tortured at the hands of men and the ever-enclosing pit as her body matured. Her Dragonlord was not there to pull her from the darkness, only Morgana who shared the agony. The witch became her constant companion, her closest friend, the same friend who her Dragonlord had slain.

She didn't know whether to love him as before or hate him all the more for killing Morgana. All she knew was that she must try to understand one thing: why? After all this time, why now? Why find her after weeks since the Battle of Camlann or why had he not simply called her?

What was Merlin's goal?

Attempting to express her questions, Aithusa huffed at the warlock and cocked her head to the other direction. Her eyes narrowed further, as if demanding for the answers. All the while, Merlin watched each movement with thinly veiled sympathy and guilt. Those eyes only angered her more, human pity was digusting.

"Aithusa…" he whispered, hand reached out again. Aithusa snapped at his fingers and pushed further into the cave, her scales rubbed further into the narrow walls.

"Okay," he cooed, his hand up again to calm the agitated dragon, "It's okay. I won't hurt you." In response, Aithusa released a low whine to accompany the growls. She wanted nothing to do with him, not after everything that happened.

Merlin released his breath slowly then knelt down, removing and folding the cloak to rest beside him. With a whispered spell, his eyes flashed and a brilliant blue and gold ball of light formed in the palm of his hand. The two colors swirled together in a mesmerizing dance, each twirled around the other without truly combining. Yet the beautiful display only irritated her eyes, as it was brighter than the dim beams of light that barely managed to reach her throughout the days. Aithusa whimpered as the light seared into her eyes and caused her to turn her head away. She raised her wings up enough for her to tuck her head beneath, effectively blocking out the light while she once again pushed growls passed he cries. Realizing his mistake, Merlin mumbled an apology and waved the light away.

He sat there for hours, keeping silent vigilance over the dragon as she occasionally growled and snapped at him, trying to scare the warlock away. Time eventually took its toll on her as Aithusa's growls died down and silence descended upon the two. The longer time stretched the longer Aithusa lost hope of gaining her solitude back. Silently, she cursed the warlock for not allowing her any peace. She grew tired of the emotions that plagued her and soon toyed with the idea of chasing the sorcerer away with her flames; imagining the yelp and frantic run of a warlock on fire amused, however, she threw the thought away, too tired and weak to carry it out.

Therefore, time moved on without a care for those it affected. The heaviness of her eyes lids returned and Aithusa fought against it, not willing to allow slumber to take he away and leave her vulnerable before the warlock. Try as she might, she could not prevent the droops of her eyelids or the slowing of her breath. Soon her eyes fluttered closed and she found herself immersed back into her nightmares. The nightmares were different, though, for they barely lasted a minute before the storm, the blood, anger, and fear that she associated to her nightly visions was swept away by a tide of warmth and comfort. She felt a sigh escape her jaws and her body relax for the first time in a long while.

She slept on in peace; her dreams painted a meadow carpeted with flowers and plentiful of prey for her to hunt. The sun shined brightly down on the ground and warmed the air around her, caressing her scales. She felt energy unlike any before, not since she was a hatchling. In fact, she stared around in surprise and realized she was just that, the newborn dragon that knew nothing of the world but the ancient knowledge that the dragons inherited from their ancestors.

Her body curled further into a ball, snuggling against the wall as she allowed her dreams to pull her further from the waking world. In her happiness, she had forgotten about the warlock who stepped away from her slumbering body. His lips held a small but sad smile as he watched the young dragon for a moment before turning away. He picked up his cloak, snapped the clasp into place, and allowed the fabric to settle around his shoulders. With one last look at the dragon, he retreated to the cave's mouth. Determination burned in his eyes as he whispered to the dragon.

"I'm sorry, Aithusa."

**BREAK**

Merlin returned a week later, much to Aithusa's infuriation. When he had not returned during those days following his first appearance, it led Aithusa to believe that his visit was but a figment of her imagination. She was even more annoyed when she found herself missing the idiot warlock. He may be her Dragonlord, but she refused to serve the man who killed her friend. Still she couldn't squash the excitement as he made himself known to the dragon. All she wanted to do was squash that little voice in her head that gleefully accepted his return.

He hesitated when she noticed him, and looked back over his shoulders at something nearly beyond her line of sight. Aithusa watched in suspicion as she spotted two figures, who stood just a ways away from the warlock carrying a bundle between them. Even from her position, she could smell the scent of fear mixed with the metallic tang of blood that drifted from them. Behind each figure a ball of light, plain in its white brilliance compared to what she saw Merlin create, somewhat lit up the cave and burned her still too sensitive eyes. It seemed that Merlin dared to bring other sorcerers to her cave.

The low growl grew into a dull roar as she clenched her eyes closed, away from the light and bared her teeth at the sorcerers. It was already bad enough that Merlin had chosen to disrupt her solitude but to bring sorcerers, ones who may potentially attack her in fear? She didn't care if Merlin could order her into submission, enough was enough. She would rather attempt to drive the group away than cower in the dark in fear like one of those pathetic horses that spook at the smallest of movements.

Aithusa pushed her legs beneath, clawed feet pressed firmly on the stone, before she pushed up. The quick motion was too much for her weakened state and, instead of charging at the group with draconic fury, her right foreleg gave way and she slammed down onto her side; her roar turned to a whimper as her body crushed her tail at an odd angle. The pain spiked down her spine and, gingerly, she lifted her body just enough to slide her tail from beneath her. The sorcerers behind Merlin shifted on their feet, nervous at the angry beast before them, one of them murmured to the warlock loud enough to be heard but too quiet for Aithusa's ears to catch in her distress. The warlock answered with a shake of his head without looking to the sorcerer and inched his way to Aithusa until he knelt in front of her.

"Aithusa, can I?" Merlin asked, his hand extended in the direction of Aithusa's aching tail. The dragon huffed and turned away, not wanting to make eye contact with the Dragonlord before her. Though she didn't want it she didn't stop Merlin from extending his armful until it hovered over her tail.

"**Ic hæle þina þrowunga.**" Merlin incanted, his eye glowed gold and a warmth spread through the dragon's tail, driving away the pain that was there before. Aithusa turned her head back to him, giving him a measured look before she turned her head to watch as she flicked her tail. Aithusa rested her head down, atop her paws as she continued to stare at the warlock, her eyes weary. Even if the warlock healed her, she still wouldn't trust him, too much had happened since her hatching, most she could not forget. Of course, that did not mean he wouldn't try to reconnect with her.

"We brought you some food. It's not much but we can get you more later," Merlin said, gesturing to the two behind him. Hesitant, the two walked closer, slow as to not startle the dragon. Her eyes shuttered close again as the lights grew closer and brighter.

"Merlin…" one of the sorcerers whispered his nervousness almost tangible.

"Don't worry, she won't hurt you," Merlin said, his voice calm in confidence.

Aithusa huffed and cracked an eye open to glare at the warlock. Of course, she was a damned tamed beast before a Dragonlord. If it wasn't for his presence, she would had already torn those sorcerers' heads from their shoulders. It would be simple to kill them, their magic nothing compared to her might even in her weakened state.

At the glare, Merlin sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair, "Not like that, Aithusa. I doubt you would attack even without me being here to stop you. You can barely stand let alone take on these guys."

Aithusa growl was sharp as a flame shot from between her lips and licked at the ground Merlin stood on. The warlock yelped, a noise that brought satisfaction to the downed dragon, then looked back to her. His expression was a mixture of irritation and amusement, as if unsure whether the dragon truly meant any harm to him or was just acting as a spoilt child to prove to him that she was not helpless.

"Alright, I get it! You're not that helpless, still need to put some meat on those bones," Merlin said as he jabbed a finger at her direction. "Lena, Gildon, bring that over here."

Aithusa huffed. How dare he act nonchalant around her, as if she was just a hound acting up.

"Sir I don't think helping it-"one of the sorcerers said, his voice trembling.

"_Her_ name is Aithusa. Now no complaining, Gildon, you were the one who wanted to know where I went last time."

The sorcerer, Gildon, grumbled as he along with the quiet Lena dragged the bundle closer. Aithusa opened her eyes further, still uncomfortable with the light source but wanting to keep an eye on the two when she noticed the golden glow of their eyes. It seemed that not only were they using their magic to produce lights but also in aiding them with the bundle. Between them, they held a strange object swaddled in burlap that glowed softly with the presence of magic, as if to lighten the weight for the sorcerers to carry effortlessly.

It was the size of three adult humans combined and must have weighed even more, too much for the average human to carry by normal means. The smell of blood grew closer until it pervaded the air all around the dragon. The humans dropped the bundle right in front of her before they scurried back to a safer distance, eyeing the dragon with distrust. Merlin laughed at their fear then waved his hand over the bundle; his magic tugged the burlap open to reveal the carcass of a freshly killed cow.

Aithusa eyed the dead animal with forced distaste, as if trying to prove to herself and not just the warlock that she was in no need of the meat. Unfortunately, that did not stop the plea that rumbled from her empty stomach. While dragons could go on for weeks between meals when food was scarce, Aithusa had gone without food for even longer. Her hunger was easy to forget when she allowed her mind to sink into depression and hide away from the world, but with Merlin's attempts to draw her out and the delicious scent of freshly slaughtered prey, it became all too difficult to ignore the pangs.

"Go ahead," Merlin urged with a smile.

That was all it took for Aithusa to sink her fangs deep into the flesh, her dagger-like teeth and a jerk of her head tore chunks of meat from the carcass with ease. From behind the warlock the sorcerers watched, both looked a bit green as they watched the dragon dig into the cow.

"Oh, that is just disgusting," moaned Gildon.

"Shut it," snapped Lena, talking for the first time. "I'm tired of your constant complaining."

"And you don't complain enough! This is just me doing the work for the both of us."

Lena rolled her eyes and relaxed her stance, "I see your mouth moving but nothing you say makes sense."

As Gildon was about to retaliate Merlin cut in, "If all you two are going to do is argue, I suggest you take it outside. I'm almost done here anyways."

They gave a small bow of their head to the warlock before they walked out, taking their lights with them. Gildon glared at Lena the whole way, his voice echoed back to Aithusa. It was as they were almost out of sight did Aithusa notice the worried glance Lena shot back at Merlin, as if afraid to leave him on his own against a dragon. Silly for her to think Merlin was in any kind of danger before the dragon, not with his inherited abilities.

She gnashed her teeth; humans were horrid, Dragonlords and all.

When the last of the light faded away, Aithusa's eyes widened further as she tore the carcass apart. She was already halfway through her meal when Merlin cleared his throat to catch her attention. She lifted her maw from the carcass; her jaws coated in blood, to meet Merlin's even stare. They sat there for a few minutes, watching each other, measuring. Aithusa still could not figure out what could be on the warlock's mind or what his motives were for finding her. What was he doing here now after all this time? If he had really wanted to see her, why didn't he just call her from hiding, or for that matter get Kilgharrah if it was a dragon he needed help from?

"Aithusa," Merlin sighed and looked away for only a moment before turning back to her, "you don't have to be here anymore. You need to get out of here, this is only hurting you."

This time it was Aithusa who turned away; suddenly her appetite was gone.

"Please, Aithusa," Merlin said, getting to his feet. "There's plenty of room for you in Camelot. I can help you. Just… think about it."

The warlock began to leave, the sounds of his boots slamming down on the stone echoed around Aithusa. In that moment, panic rose. Panicked on being left alone yet panicked on having to interact with the man responsible for killing the most important person of her life. The rising emotions forced a low whine from her throat that stopped Merlin's retreating back. He stood still for a second then snapped his head back, his long cloak swirled around him by the movement, and eyes met once more with the dragon.

"I'll be back, I promise."

**BREAK**

He kept his promise. Instead of a week, Merlin came back daily. Every day he brought with him more food, from cow to deer to even the occasional pheasant; it was always what he was able to scrounge up to feed a carnivorous beast as large as Aithusa. Accompanying him were various sorcerer, though mostly it was Gildon and Lena. Their constant presence soon allowed them to become familiar around the dragon. Aithusa made sure to remind them that she was still a threat with a burst of flame or a gruff growl, but soon she grew fond of the duo. With each passing day, Aithusa felt her strength return and her eyes became more acquainted to the light the sorcerers brought in her cave.

This morning, Aithusa awoke once again by the softer call from Merlin. She watched the warlock as he strode into the cave, the blue, gold ball of light that bounced happily behind him no longer seared her eyes. Her vision had been able to reacquaint with the brightest orbs the sorcerers were able to produce. Something was different with this visit, however. It did not take long before Aithusa realized what had changed. The warlock was alone, this time; no one trailed behind him bringing the next prey for her to devour. The dragon felt her mood drop at that realization, more that the friendly duo she had gotten used to were not there than the lack of food. She gave a yelp, one that questioned the reason why the warlock was alone, with a cock of her head.

Merlin lifted his eyebrows, already accustomed to interpreting Aithusa's gestures and wordless cries, "What? Missing them already?"

She narrowed her eyes and growled.

"Don't worry, they're here. How about a little change of pace, hmmm?"

She cocked her head again.

"They're outside, with your food. I think it's about time you got out of here Aithusa," Merlin answered, his voice losing volume with the last suggestion. After all these days of bonding with the dragon, Aithusa knew Merlin was still cautious around her. He did not want to lose what little progress he had made nd understood she was still wary of him.

"Come one, girl, you need to get out of here."

Aithusa growled and shifted in place. She casted her eyes around the cave, observing the glassy swirls that littered the walls and floor. Then with a huff, she rose to her feet, strong enough this time to support her own weight unlike her pathetic attempt during the second visit.

Fully standing, she nodded her head to Merlin. The warlock's mouth widen into a smile, one just as wide as the one he held when he had first hatched from her egg. With a motion of his hand, he led the dragon through the cave, making slow progress to allow the dragon to keep pace. Even though she had gain strength since he had first met her, she was still too weak to do anything strenuous. Best she took it easy and avoided unnecessary injuries.

It took a while but finally Aithusa was nearly outside, the mouth of the cave just a few step further. Merlin stopped and glanced at her before he stepped aside and gestured for her to go on past him. He held his smile in encouragement as she hesitantly stepped towards the entrance, her claws clicked against the stone, as she got closer. Soon she found herself at the edge of the sunlight, eyeing the forest outside with squinted eyes. It appeared that the little ball of light were not bright enough to allow her eyes to adjust to the blinding sun, though she knew it was still better than what it could had been.

A ways away from entrance, she saw Gildon and Lena standing beside a dead deer, fidgeting as they waited for the dragon to appear from the cave. She looked back at Merlin, who nodded in encouragement before she took her first steps outside for the first time in months. The warmth struck her dirtied scales, sinking into her flesh and bones; all around the sunlight swaddled her as it blinded her.

It was like her dreams, the warm embrace that soothed her in way the rocks could not.

She blinked, trying to focus her eyes in the light. Then she took more unsteady steps, not to the sorcerers and food, but to the small lake she spotted to the right of them. At the edge, she dipped her snout into the cool water and drunk deep from the water, relishing in its clean coolness that soothed her aching throat. It was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted, better by far in comparison to the dank water she desperately licked from the cave walls during her time in self-confinement. While there was little water that found its way through those cracks in the walls, it was still barely enough to quench the dragon's thirst.

The cool water ran down her dry throat, forcing a small moan in relief from the dragon between each gulp. Behind her, Merlin emerged from the cave, still smiling a smile that reflected from the faces of the other sorcerers. When she had drunk her fill, she leaned back and observed her reflection in the swirling waters.

What she saw saddened her.

Her once brilliant scales were covered in grime and mold from her extended stay in the caves. No longer were her scales the pure white she used to be proud of, the one feature she loved even when the humans mangled her body. With a grunt, Aithusa shook the annoyance from her mind and chose action rather than self-pity to deal with the issue at hand. She pushed her legs against the shore and slid her body into the water, clinging to the sandy floor. Immersed, she flipped upside down and rubbed her back into the sand, using the granules to scratch what grime she could.

After a few minutes, longer than a human capable of staying underwater, Aithusa's head shot out of the water to breathe. From the shore, she saw her Dragonlord laughing at her antics, which irritated her. She may be like a hatchling in the water but she would not allow a two-legged animal to mock her, not even her Dragonlord.

Especially Merlin.

So, with a mischievous grin, Aithusa unfolded her wings from her body and flapped down against the surface of the water hard, splashing water at the warlock. She huffed out a laugh as she saw Merlin try and fail to dodge the water. Still he laughed, drenched in water, and with a flash of gold, returned the favor back to the dragon. Soon the situation devolved into a mock battle as warlock and dragon threw waves after waves of water at each other while the other two sorcerers stood aside, chortling with tears in their eyes.

In the back of Aithusa's mind, she realized that this was the first time in a long time since she had fun. She couldn't even remember laughing or smiling her toothy grin during her time with Morgana.

Still, even as she played like a newly hatched dragon, she still could not forget that niggling thought in the back of her mind that reminded her of the Dragonlord's transgressions.

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**AN: I almost did not post this. Still unsure about it really, it was a cool idea when I started out but pretty nervous to see what others think of it.I want to explore the Aithusa and Merlin relationship after season 5, so this won't focus too much on Camelot itself. There will be some struggles on Camelot post legalized magic, but this will stay centered around Aithusa and Merlin.  
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**This entire story has been outlined and I'm ready to write more of it; however, I worked on this in a rather relaxed pace, so not sure if I can promise speedy updates. I'll try to balance my time between this and the other story I'm starting.  
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**I'll post a tentative update date on my profile (I'll try to post by July 11th).**

**So let me know what you think! Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.**

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"Can you fly?"

Aithusa looked up from where she laid sprawled across the ground. The sun warmed and dried her scales from an early morning swim in the pristine lake while her tongue scraped off more of the grime that managed to cling on. Merlin sat by the shore as well, his hair damp from the splashes she purposefully flung at his direction as she found every opportunity to since she first left the cave.

He had come alone this time, only mentioning that the other two had gone on a patrol with a few knights to ease some tension at the border. Once she was told that they would not show up, Aithusa ignored the rest of what he said, she did not care about the kingdom's condition, more content to keep distance from that blasted city and those it housed. Instead, during days that followed her emergence from the cavern, she chose to lounge around in the clearing in front of her cave and gain her strength as Merlin and his sorcerers kept a steady supply of food. At times, she wondered where he got this endless supply of meat but she was not one to complain.

To answer the warlock's question, she growled, ensuring to express her annoyance incited by the query. Aithusa moved her head and purposely directed her face away from him to drive in the point. She was a dragon; it was silly for a puny creature to question her ability to conquer the skies. The warlock, however, ignored her ire, not in the least bit afraid of the supposed mighty dragon as he rolled his eyes towards her.

"Don't give me that!"

She snorted, and then turned her face back towards him, a glare set in her eyes, as she dragged her feet beneath her and pushed her great body from the ground. Still maintaining eye contact, she unfurled her wings and stretched them to their full wingspan. She bent her knees and dropped into a crouch, tensing her hind legs as she broke her glare and concentrated on the sky. With a might force, she brought her wings down and pushed off from the ground; her claws gouged the dirt beneath as she threw her body into the air. For a moment she hung there, her wings struggled to keep her massive size afloat, but with a growl and a rush of magic that aided a dragon's flight, Aithusa thrust up to the sky. Her wings worked furiously until it caught a warm draft that launched her even higher.

Airborne, she went into lazy circles and closed her eyes to the rush of wind that cocooned her. She manipulated the air around her mass with the shift in her tail or a tilt of her wings, maintaining complete control over her course but otherwise simply glided. Then she brought her wings down and brought them straight back, gaining momentum higher before she spread her wings, stretched out, and leaned back, bringing her upside down into a flip.

As she completed the loop, she straightened her body and pulled her wings close. Gaining more speed, she shot towards the ground; the forest below became nothing but a blur except the single tree her eyes focused on. With seconds away from crashing into it, she shot her wings out and caught the wind. The rush of air held her up and she swooped away from the approaching trees, the flap of her wings rustled the leaves of the tree below while she allowed her foreleg relax and touch the treetop. She circled as she climbs the sky then steadied her wings to fly back to the clearing, where the Dragonlord stood with a grin as he watched the young dragon's escapades in the air.

That quickly changed when he realized that the dragon was aiming to land right where he was standing. He barely avoided being crushed when he dodged to the side as the wind buffeted him. Fluttering her wings to slow down, Aithusa landed with a soft thump next to the warlock, who in his haste had fallen to the ground. The white dragon shot him a smug look, huffed a laugh at the warlock's ridiculous position, before she turned back to her spot by the lake.

She folded her wings against her back as she flopped on the ground, her legs stretched out giving off an appearance of nonchalance, and all the while internally, her heart was racing. The first time she flew in so long was truly an exhilarating sensation, almost comparable to her first flight. The burn of worked muscles in her wings and the slight increased rate of her breathing showed the effects weeks of inactivity had on her body. Her weakened body caused her to feel frustrated, even ashamed, that she could so easily be winded, especially when dragons were supposed to rule the skies. Merlin picked himself from the ground and walked to her side. She turned her head towards the warlock then away, a growl low in her throat.

"What did I do this time?" Merlin sighed, taking a wary step back.

She went silent, choosing instead to get up and retreat to the cave.

"Aithusa?" the warlock called out at her retreating back. Aithusa turned back and glared, hers eyes unwavering as she waited for the man to make scarce. He seemed to debate on defying the demand but decided against it. With a sigh and hand ran through his hair, Merlin turned back towards his horse tied at the edge of the clearing, stopping only a moment to retrieve his satchel he left on the ground.

Aithusa stood still, watching and waiting, until both the mare and her rider disappeared into the trees. She sat there a few seconds longer until she continued her retreat to the cave where she curled up in her usual spot. Again, she found herself as she had many times, observing her flames' imprint to the rock, adding more designs with a small spurt of fire. The orange, red glow lapped against the stone, the skinny form making a unique design that countered the pattern. Satisfied with the new addition to the cave, Aithusa finally rested her head on her paws, her eyes latched to the walls while her mind ventured away.

She didn't get it. For every day he came, she grew more frustrated. The why always echoed in her thoughts, questioning the true motives the warlock had in contacting her in such an odd way. He had to be planning something with her, but what would gaining the trust of a dragon serve him? What would he change by befriending her if all he needed to do was speak their tongue and order her as he pleases?

What was even worse was that it was working.

Today felt like the final straw to Aithusa. Her frustration over her relatively frail body had placed her in a bad mood and nudged her over the edge against the warlock. It was when he had approached her that she realized just what was wrong with the situation. If she had clutched her anger towards the Dragonlord as she had before, she would have burned Merlin until he was nothing but ash and sped away as far as her wing could carry her.

Instead, she flew in lazy circles and pounced at him from the sky as a hatchling would its nest mates. She was growing close to the warlock, an idea that frightened her not only because she had held onto her anger for so long but also because the sense of betrayal she felt. Had Morgana lived, Aithusa knew befriending Merlin would pain her as much as anger, especially after all the betrayals she knew her friend had suffered over the years. Perhaps she had been open to Merlin before, before he took her witch's life, but now…she wanted nothing to do with him.

Blast that two-legged pest. Blast him for getting past all her barriers. When Merlin appeared in her life again, he had torn down every shield she erected around her heart to keep others from capturing it again. She had no want for the filth that was humanity, and he and his little pet sorcerers only had to come to her cave with prey to change her, to make her lose the dragon she worked hard to be.

He would be her undoing.

* * *

_Her wings steadied behind her, catching the small breeze that rustled the trees; it served only to sweep her higher and lengthen her glide. In front of her was a beautiful woman, clad in a black lace dress, who navigated the trees with confidence only experience and knowledge of the forest could give her. Every once in a while, the woman would cast a glance back and smile as the young dragon kept up with her._

_Aithusa was just happy to find a new playmate. Ever since her hatching, all the dragon knew was how bored she was and how easily irritated her elder was with her. Apparently, Kilgharrah was too proud to _demean_ himself in hatchling games, or at least according to him. And his warnings on humans did little to ease the boredom when it meant she could not seek her Dragonlord in the middle of human dwelling. While her quick venture near this Camelot place was an act of defiance against the elder, she was ecstatic to meet a new person who contrasted against the supposed brutal nature humans had that Kilgharrah depicted._

_Of course, when the dragon was too busy serving their Dragonlord, Aithusa sneaked away to do a little investigation of her own. It was in this excursion that she stumbled upon the woman, unconscious and bleeding on the forest floor. She looked pale, nearly matching the color of the hatchling's scales; never had the dragon known that those odd creatures could be so pale. She did, however, know that blood wasn't something anyone could lose at the rate she was bleeding. What kind of noble dragon would she be if Aithusa had just left her?_

_It was the best decision she made. She found a friend out of it._

_She found herself lazily weaving between the trees, gliding along behind the human with the occasional flap to keep her afloat. The human giggled at the dragon' antics; at times she would pause to let the hatchling catch up or try to tough her but Aithusa learned to keep her distance, wanting the woman to give chase._

_They spent the day together like that, Aithusa gliding and evading around the woman and the woman trekking through the forest. The hatchling squeaked her amusement when the human nearly got her or laughed her draconic laugh when she managed to sneak behind the woman. Time flew and soon night fell, forcing the human to make camp for the night, eating a few berries she had scavenged through her walk. Aithusa, balanced on a branch in the trees, watched as the stranger cleared a spot by the tree and made a pile of wood. With fascination, the dragon saw the way her eyes flashed gold and a fire erupted on the wood._

_She's a witch!_

_The dragon glided to the forest floor and peeped at the witch as she nudged at one of the burning logs. The human chuckled and rested her hand on the hatchling's spine, softly stroking the scales, admiring the way they shined in the fire's light._

"_Hello," she murmured. Aithusa looked up at her cocking her head at the greeting. Humans were odd with their words, but she supposed she could amuse this one. _

"_H-he-"she began, trying to form the strange sound from her mouth. She shook her head before she tried again, "he-hello."_

_The human gasped, "You can speak?_

_Aithusa nodded then shrugged. Admittedly not well, not when the sounds felt weird on her tongue. _

"_Do you have a name?" The woman reached out and gave the small one a scratch on her chin, her eyes wide with wonder. _

_The dragon nodded, "Na-na-name, Aithusa."_

"_Then hello little Aithusa," she smiled, "my name is Morgana."_

* * *

Aithusa shook the sleep from her eyes, staring at her claws as she thought over her dream, really a memory, of Morgana. That day had been innocent, filled with the simple joy of each other's company.

It was nice.

She shook her head, no reason to mope about in the cave.

The dragon rose from the ground and plodded out of the cave. Her eyes squinted as she adjusted to the morning sunlight. She made her way to the lake again and dunked her head in for a drink. When she had her fill, she decided to look around the clearing for any visitors; she was unsurprised to see Merlin already tying his horse to a stake on the ground and removing the saddle. Again, he was alone unless the other where deeper in the forest, hidden by the trees. When he noticed the dragon staring, he began to approach her; noticeably wary of upsetting her again by the slow way he crossed the grass, his dark vlue cloak twisted to his movement.

The dragon glared at him and purposely turned her back to him. If she had to, she would ignore him; make him understand that she no longer wanted to see him. She tried to pretend the sorrow she felt was entirely about Morgana and not because she wanted the Dragonlord to stay and ignore her stubbornness. Merlin, for his part, acted as if he didn't notice the disgruntled dragon and chose to go to Aithusa. He even dared to ignore the warning growl when he sat next to her.

She turned on her side, back to Merlin and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. If he thought he would get anything from her, he would be sorely disappointed. The warlock for the most part didn't say anything but sat there, lost in thoughts, at he stared across the lake. Just as Aithusa nearly fell asleep, Merlin patted her on the shoulder, trying to get her attention.

_Fine_, he wanted her attention he could have it.

The warlock didn't have a moment to yelp before Aithusa knocked him down and pinned him with a foot on his chest. Her claws tapped lightly against the hollow of his neck, ready to break skin if he attempted to struggle. Her face hovered close to Merlin, nose barely a hairs breadth away from the warlock's own as she blew her warm breath in his face, allowing the slow burn of her internal fire to emit smoke as well. To her annoyance, he didn't so much as flinch. His unwavering eyes, watered from the smoke, watched the dragon attempt at intimidation, waiting until she was done.

"Aithusa."

She growled and snapped at him, her teeth barely missing.

"Aithusa, listen."

She drew her head back, breathing deep as she prepared to blast him with her flames.

"_Please_ listen to me."

She stopped, not from his request but by the honest, pleading way, he asked. Instead, she looked him, really looked at him.

And he looked a mess. There were shadows beneath his eyes that spoke of a sleepless night that highlighted the deep troubled eyes set in a pallid face. In those eyes, she could see the slight glisten in his eyes of unshed tears. This man was different from the sad yet jovial man who constantly visited with a laugh on his face and a joke on his lips. The raw emotions served to calm to dragon, cool her internal fire, as she stepped back, releasing him from her claws.

"Thank you," he said with a shaky breath. He drew his legs up closer and wrapped his arms around them. Resting his chin against his knees, he stared out to the water again as Aithusa waited for him to speak.

"Do you know it's been exactly three months since the battle?" Merlin asked his eyes unmoving from the lake.

Aithusa dropped back down, joining the warlock in enjoying the sights though it did not soothe the raw ache that returned with Merlin's words. She gave a small mewl in response.

"Would you like to go?"

Aithusa looked him, head cocked.

"To their graves."

Aithusa shook, but she looked up to Merlin and nodded her head.

* * *

Aithusa glided above, trying to catch what wind she could so that she could make the trip to the Lake of Avalon. Below her, she could see Merlin on his horse riding at a gallop while up ahead the lake glistened under the noonday sun. Her cave was not too far from the lake, few hours ride for Merlin and even less for her. It would not have taken long for her to reach it had she not been so easily exhausted by flight that she had to take the occasional breaks through the journey. In the end it took her just as long to fly there as Merlin to ride and when the sun was at its highest point she finally reached the lake's shore with Merlin breaking the tree line minutes after. Aithusa waited as Merlin tied to horse and joined her by the shoreline.

The silence weighed heavily on her as she waited for Merlin to speak, to tell her where Morgana's grave was so she could see it. She did not understand humans in their need to bury the bodies of their kin. Dragons chose to mourn over the corpse of their loved one before accepting their return to the earth and while she would be late in her mourning, she wanted this closure for her friend. After all they had gone through, she wanted to give her the respect that only a dragon could give.

"I burned his body here," Merlin said, his voice wavered as it broke the silence. "A-Arthur held out for as long as he could. I _tried_ so hard to keep him here, but it was too late."

The warlock picked up a stone and levitated off his hand, his eyes gold as the rock crumbled into dust. Aithusa whimpered, her eyes questioning not for Arthur but rather for his sister. Merlin lifted his hand up to her, wordlessly asking for patience.

"I failed Arthur that day. Arthur, Morgana, even you."

Aithusa held her breath, her head whipped back to Merlin in surprised. Failed her? She knew whom she could blame for Morgana's death, but what exactly had he failed with her?

"It was my fault for how Morgana became the person she was before she died. My cowardice pushed her away to fend off the pressure Uther had placed on her. I left her to the wolves and she turned to the first person who could offer her comfort.

"That is why I killed her. I had to stop the person she became, that mockery of who she had once been. You should have seen her, Aithusa. She was kind and beautiful. When someone was wronged before her, she would personally ensure that they were helped or, if needed, saved."

Merlin drew Aithusa in with his words. She became fascinated about her friend's previous life and the woman who had once called the warlock friend. Yet it felt not much different to how the witch treated her. To Aithusa, Morgana was the strange, injured human she found in the woods. She believed her to be beautiful, but perhaps her concept of beauty was not aligned to the norm for humans.

And she was kind.

The kindest person she met in her life. She gave her the attention she sought, when her elder claimed to be too old for her antics or her Dragonlord too busy with his King.

"_Oh, Aithusa, I'm sorry."_

That's right. She had saved her. She had sacrificed her own freedom to save the young dragon she barely knew. That was more than anyone had ever done for her since Merlin called her from her egg. Aithusa pushed the memory from her mind to focus on the warlock.

"Perhaps she was different with you," Merlin smiled down at Aithusa, surprising the dragon that he managed to somehow pick up what she as thinking. "I'm not surprised; I doubt you would have befriended her if she wasn't."

Aithusa hung her head, quivering with emotions that were forcibly dragged to the surface.

"I'm glad there was a small sliver of the old Morgana."

He reached out his hand to Aithusa pausing right over her scales. When Aithusa nodded, his hand closed the distance and gently stroked the scales of her neck.

"I buried her here," he whispered, feeling the muscles tense beneath the dragon's skin. "After everything I done to her, it only felt right that I did something. I couldn't just leave her that way…"

She pulled away slightly from the warlock only to nudge her head against his fingers, insistent.

"She's over there," Merlin pointed a few paces down the shore, at the forest, "close to the trees, there's a stone marking her grave."

Aithusa stepped back slowly from the warlock before she whipped around and all but ran to the trees. When she saw the grave, she skidded to a stop before it. It was a rather simple graveyard, nothing made it apparent that the one buried was of noble birth or the powerful sorceress that struck fear in many. There was a rough rectangular shape on the ground lined by small rocks while for a tombstone sat a small boulder. To Aithusa's surprise, there was a single, simple engraving in a neat script on the surface.

_Lady Morgana Pendragon._

She lay down next to it, her nose nudged at the stone with a whine. All she wanted to do was see her again, snuggled next to her as she had done so many times before.

"I'm sorry, Aithusa. I'm sorry for not being there for you," Merlin said as he kneeled down in front of the grave and placed a small bouquet of wild flowers. She hadn't even notice him move. "I know you hate me."

Aithusa looked at him. She supposed it wasn't difficult for him to understand, especially after the way she treated him the previous day. She made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him. She allowed the anger over Morgana's death that remained to take over her mind and scramble any bit of logic she held. In the flood of her emotions, she pushed him away when all he wanted was forgiveness, giving him not an inch of relief against her glares.

Oh how she regretted that decision.

It was her fault as well, to some degree that Arthur had died. She supported Morgana and her plans, even if she questioned many. She watched as Morgana led a war against Morgana and plotted against Merlin at every step of the way. He may have been the one to kill her friend, but Aithusa bestowed the witch the weapon to kill his.

She trembled.

How could she not realize before?

Arthur Pendragon, the Once and Future King who was said to balance the wild magic of Emrys; they were said to be two sides of a single coin. Had it hurt him to lose the King as much as it hurt her to lose Morgana? From the way his eyes glistened, Aithusa knew this to be true.

As a Dragonlord and dragon, they were kin. Yet here they stood, each bore scars the other carved. How could they be kin when all they did was hurt each other? What kind of world did they live in when they could not even trust each other?

"I miss him so much," the warlock continued. His eyes were brighter than before, ignorant of the dragon's internal conflict. "Every day, all I see is the kingdom growing stronger and stronger. For every obstacle thrown her way, Camelot grows and learns, bringing a peace like none ever seen before.

"Gwen stood strong and confident at the forefront of prejudice and damnation. When the council had once viewed her as nothing but a puppet now respect her for the Queen who rivaled all previous rulers. And even under all the pressure, she has not broken, even as she now bears the heir to the Pendragon line. She even abolished the laws on magic," Merlin smiled as a few tears escaped his eyes.

"He should have been here to see it all. His kingdom flourishing, his wife becoming the Queen he knew she would become, and the beginnings of the new life he helped create. He would never experience any of it because I was too late."

The warlock dropped his hand from the dragon's scales and rocked backwards until he was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest. Behind him, his beautiful cloak draped onto the ground and muddied by the wet earth; he gave little care to the rich garment as his eyes bore holes into the stone in front of him. Within the span of the minutes he took to speak he seemed to have grown older, his eyes immeasurable in the depth of wisdom and experience those young eyes had lived through in the past decade. Throughout it all, Aithusa knew not what she could do, only wanting to comfort the warlock some way yet unsure on the how.

"I served him for so long, protected from so much. He was my best friend. It felt as if my heart was torn out of my chest and stomped into the ground when he died and the remains burnt to a crisp when I had to deliver the news to Camelot; I spent days closed off in my room before Gwen finally drew me out.

"Then I was forced out of the pit I fell in and threw myself into getting Camelot back onto her feet alongside Gwen. I put everything into the effort to reestablish magic into the land and defended Gwen from all the scorn even as the same people looked down on my own social status. I went from the lowly servant bastard form some poor farm village to one of the most powerful and influential man in Camelot, the Court Sorcerer and advisor of all things magic.

"Under all that, I still couldn't forget Arthur," his arms tightened around his legs. "I found myself back to his last days, remembering everything to minute details.

"Then I remembered you." He looked into her eyes, his eyes rimmed red but the tears dried. Aithusa mewled at him then turned away, unable to meet his gaze, unable to escape the guilt she felt over her newly discovered responsibility in the human King's death. The more he spoke of his pain the more she wanted to disappear from his sight, ashamed that she had not realized sooner and chose to cast him aside in hatred for she had committed as well.

"You were loyal to Morgana, even when you knew I could always order you away. You tried so hard to fight for her and even screamed out when I commanded you away. Gwen told me about what happened to the two of you during Morgana's imprisonment under King Sarrum. You bonded with her in a way I never thought any could. That was when I realized I wronged you. Rather than understand what happened to you and why you sided with Morgana, I ignored it and continued with my own world. All the while, you became as close to Morgana as I was with Arthur.

"I killed her. I_ killed _your best friend."

Merlin stood up suddenly, surprising Aithusa into getting up as well. He turned on his heels and strode away, to the shore of the lake. He stood, back straight and proud with all the power at his fingertips. Never had he seemed so vulnerable to the white dragon.

Hesitant at first, Aithusa stood up and approached, cautious not to startle the warlock. She sat on her hunches next to him, her head hung low as she looked up to him and whimpered. She didn't expect this; she didn't want this when she tried to push him away.

All she had wanted was to be left alone.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you, Aithusa. I'm so sorry for causing that pain unto you."

He turned to the dragon and rested his hand against her neck again. Lightly, he brushed his fingers down her scales, scraping at some dirt that lodged under it. The tears returned, perhaps not as many as before when he thought of Arthur, but enough to show to Aithusa just how deeply he was disturbed about the witch's death. She gave a low whine again, wanting nothing more but to apologize herself, apologize for providing the weapon that tore the King out of Merlin's life.

"I want to be here for you, much like Gwen was for me. I want to redeem myself for how much I wronged you. I should have been there for you when you hatched. I should have tried to understand your relationship with Morgana. I have made far too many mistakes in my life; I don't want you to be another. I want you to live as free and fully as you possibly can."

Merlin sighed and closed his eyes. With one last pat on her neck, he gave her a small watery smile before he turned from the lake and began to walk to his horse. He untied his horse and hoisted up back into the saddle. He nudged the horse around until he faced the dragon one last time.

"Know this, Aithusa, I will _never_ force you to do anything you don't want to," he called out, "but, if you allow, I want to be there for you and help you live the life you deserve. I won't seek you out any more or force myself back into your life, but… if you change your mind; you are welcome to find me in Camelot."

With that, Merlin nudged his horse into a trot, disappearing into the trees and leaving Aithusa alone by the Lake of Avalon. She was unsure what to do but return to Morgana's grave and stretch her body out next to it. She would mourn for her lost friend while ponder the options the warlock presented her.

Still, by the grave alone with her thoughts, never had Aithusa felt so unsure as she had felt that moment, balanced in such a decision; however, she knew that whatever she chose, it would define the entirety of her life.

Could she face the Dragonlord after all that happened?

* * *

**AN: I guess I got this chapter done a lot fast than planned o,O. Also, I have no rough drafts of future chapters, which makes me nervous. I like being a few chapters ahead of what's posted. Oh well, I'll just have to write more xD**

**So next update would be, at the earliest, next week July 8th, but I'm going to say July 15th just in case I don't find time (I have to give more time to my other story).**

**Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated :)**


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